Pokemon: NIGHTMARE IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE
by Count-Hagane
Summary: Please make a note that this is NOT a parody of the third Pokemon Movie. (Please Review)
1. Default Chapter

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Pokémon: NIGHTMARE IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE

PROLOGUE: MIKE'S DEPARTURE

Mike was deep in concentration over the notes he had taken over the last several months; his deep interest in the medieval Pokémon world had taken him to some interesting places. He deeply enjoyed trying to find forgotten histories, lost lore, and especially the common unknown. He figured he had a common knack for archeology, and the thoughts of leaving his home of Mountain City in the mists and travel the world. But not until he made the discovery of a lifetime, he was determined to find the legendary (and in Mountain City considered mythical) Crystal Palace.

Suddenly there came a shout, "HEY MIKE!"

Mike looked up from his notes and saw his buddies Brandon, Erich, Ben and Mary waving to him. They walked over, Mike greeted them as follows: "Hi Erich, Brandon, Mary, (sly smirk to his face) Blue Balls."

Ben frowned to this, for you see he had two pet names…Erich, Brandon and Mary called him Doobie. But Mike's pet name of choice for him is Blue Balls, and just for being the youngest of the group. "That's not funny Mike." Ben said in an irritated tone of voice. Brandon put his arm around Ben's shoulders and with a kind smile on his face said, "Come on Ben, you know he's just having fun with you."

Mike then pulled out a map of Mountain City including about a 11 mile radius of the surrounding area, he then looked at his notes and said, "Now I get it, it's all there…the path exists, it exists!"

Brandon and the others gave him a look of 'what the hell are you talking about' look. That's when Erich looked at the notes and asked, "Mike you're still not trying to find this place are you?" Mike grabbed the notes from him and argued, "So what if I am, it's all here on the map…but finding the start of the path to it is the challenge, you see—."

Brandon cut him off and complained, "No you see Mike, that place hasn't been discovered in 1550 years! So what kind of conclusion could one draw from that. (Chuckles to himself) I'll tell you…IT DOESN'T EXSIST!"

Mike then stood straight up and argued, "The reason it hasn't been found in such a long time is because it's fallen out of the memory of every towns person in this god forsaken city, but certain documents made around the past 1000 years or more have chronicled a mentioning of seeing something shimmer from the top of the mountain range west of here. I did some deeper research and found that the top tower had a crystal fixture on top of it that used to reflect the sunlight, that's what that shimmer is…it's that fixture reflecting the sunlight!"

Brandon rolled his eyes and said, "Mike, have you ever heard of ice crystals? It's probably a cave load of them reflecting that light."

Mike nodded, "Yeah, that's what I thought at first…but then I studied the rock faces at the base of the mountains and found this." Mike placed his finger down on the path leading through the mountains; Brandon and the others looked to where he was pointing. "Hey, that place is the same area I caught my Lairon." Brandon said with a note of both pride and surprise in his voice. "How is that thing doing anyway Brandon?" Ben asked. Brandon gave a look of pride and said, "It evolved into a Aagron last week."

Mike then said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah congratulations, hope you have many successful battles with it, but getting back to the point…if you had gone back about 100 yards or so, this cliff would have looked like a finger pointing to a jagged rock face right here, or so it would seem…for that rock face is actually the path that leads up to the Crystal Palace, there used to be a hidden path somewhere else on that mountain, but my guess is that with the monthly avalanches…I've concluded that that path may be after all this time become inaccessible."

Mary then asked, "But wouldn't that make the main path you're talking about inaccessible as well?"

Mike gave a sly look and replied, "Well it's my hope it's not, about a third of a way up there should be a shrine. I've found through my research that there are supposed to be four statues depicting the elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. My guess is that three of the four might still be on their pedestals, that's how I acquired this right here."

Mike reached into his backpack and pulled out a Wartortle statue, he continued: "Once I place this statue on its pedestal, the shrine should give away to the rest of the path."

They all just laughed at him, Mike just got up, got his things together, and left grumbling: "I don't need to here this!"

Later at Mike's house he set up his supplies and took the map and a journal with him, there came a knock at the door, Mike opened it and saw Danyelle.

Danyelle said, "Brandon told me about your little adventure, Mike…I'm asking you to give it up, I don't want to see you all disappointed when you come back."

Mike hugged Danyelle and said, "Don't worry about me, if everything goes right…I should only be gone a week, but I'm taking about 5 months of food and supplies with me, just in case."

Danyelle waved goodbye as Mike took off down the road, he threw her his house key and said, "You and the others take care of my house while I'm gone, okay?" She nodded and watched as he disappeared down the street.

When Mike was just about to the path west of town he looked at the mountains and saw the shimmering light up on one of them, "The Crystal Palace is calling…and its my destiny to respond." Mike said to himself with a hint of proud authority.

That's when a voice behind him said, "Go back now sonny, before it's too late!"

Mike turned around and saw an old man in a tattered cloak behind him, "Come again?" Mike asked.

"Don't go up to the Crystal Palace me boyo, years hav passed her and made her dark and evil…there are spirits and other things up there that do not sleep, but they wait…they wait…in the dark, and they wait for foolish people like you to go up there, and they mess with you so they won' be lonely!" The old man warned him.

Mike just turned around and said, "I don't care if Andy Serkis was waiting up there for me, I'm going!"

The old man just sighed and said, "Okay, young master Michael…but heed Amos' warning and remember this and Amos when you get there: _Trust in your heart and not your eyes, for the walls lie_."

"Well thank you Amos old chap, but I must really—." Mike started to say, but stopped when he realized Amos had vanished. Mike shrugged it off and headed up the path that would eventually connect to the path of the shrine.

Sad to say this but this was the last anyone saw of Mike, for he's been missing for 3 months, and this is where are true story…begins.


	2. The Cry for Help

CHAPTER 1: THE CRY FOR HELP

Ash and company were passing through the mountain path that would lead to Mountain City (of course Mountain City was just a waypoint to another gym), "I wonder where we are now?" Ash asked, Brock checked the map and said, "Looks like we're near Mountain City, no gym, but it seems like a good place to stop and rest up." They looked behind themselves and saw May and Max bringing up the rear, "Hurry up you two." Ash called out to them.

When they got in town they decided to get something to eat, there was a restaurant not far from where they were. When they entered they saw the sign TRAINERS EAT FOR FREE, they knew maybe stopping here was a good idea.

Brock then looked around; his eyes stopped on a blond haired kid that just seemed to be staring at them. Ash looked at Brock and asked what was troubling him, Brock responded: "That guy over there has done nothing but stare at us since we've entered here, at first I thought he was just staring for coincidence sake…but now he's starting to scare me."

Finally the kid got out of his seat and walked over to them and said, "I haven't seen you bunch around here, so I guess you're from out of town?" They all nodded and he continued, "Well the why I ask is to ask if you've seen a guy with brown hair, green eyes w/ glasses, and carrying a backpack that looks to heavy beyond belief?" The all replied no, the kid gave a depressed sigh and said to himself, "Where the heck can he be?!" then he looked at them and said, "Oops, how very unpolite of me to ask a question and not even give you my name, name's Erich with a C-H."

Ash and the other's introduced themselves; Erich sat down and explained that a friend of his named Mike had disappeared three months ago on a solo expedition. He had been asking dozens of trainers and other travelers if they had seen him…but so far no leads, "Danyelle is starting to get worried, so are his other friends…but I myself couldn't really care either way, Mike always said he thought of leaving Mountain City so if he did I'd say good for him."

"So Danyelle worries about Mike, why?" Brock asked, Erich replied, "Because she's Mike's girlfriend, she sort of waits for Mike to return from his expedition, for the last month she swears she's been hearing Mike's voice whisper in the wind…you know, calling to her. She's also been having visions and going into trances and junk like that, best to let her finish whatever's going on in that skull of hers."

"So where does she live?" Ash asked, Erich replied: "Well she lives about three blocks from Mike's house, but since it's her turn to watch over Mike's place I'll take you there when you're ready to leave."

A few minutes later Erich took them to Mike's place, It was your simple one story home with a few windows, he knocked at the door and Danyelle answered. She said: "Hello Erich, I see that you've brought company…come in I was just making some tea."

Suddenly Danyelle took a few steps inside and heard it, "_Danyelle…Danyelle_." She turned around and complained, "That's not funny Erich!" With a puzzled look Erich said, "I didn't say anything Danyelle, honest injun."

Danyelle shot a slight smile and said, "Okay, I believe you…just come in before the misquotes do, or Mike will have a fit." Erich turned back to Ash and company and gave a 'see what I mean?' look.

The inside of Mike's place was pretty simple as well, except for all the maps and books, journals, along with other stuff. Brock had made an offer to help clean the place up, but Danyelle said, "Mike would wear a very thin temper with you if you did that, he sort of likes things in a state of decay…so to speak." Erich nodded as to show his support for what Danyelle had just said, suddenly there came a high whistle from the kitchen, "Oh, the water's ready…so how do you guys feel about Chamomile, only favor of tea Mike has around this place I'm afraid…but—" Suddenly Danyelle nearly had a swooning fit, she saw faint flashes of a shrine with a door in the middle of it, the door was open, then came the voice: "_Danyelle, the path is open Danyelle…please find me_."

Erich caught her in his arms before she hit the ground, when she came to she said, "I heard him, I heard Mike…he's alive, he's there." Erich shook his head and said, "Danyelle, you fainted…you're so worried about Mike that you're starting to hear and see things, why don't you take a bath…I'll get the tea and take up the remainder of your shift."

As Danyelle left for the bathroom she said, "I'm not crazy…this is the 13th time this week that this has happened." Erich then replied, "I never said you were crazy, just that you're a little tense and that a bath might do you a world of good."

As Erich set up the tea Ash asked, "What did she mean by 'he's there'? Is there something we should know about?"

Erich let out a sigh and said, "Okay, I guess if we know you have to know as well…Mike was researching something known as the Crystal Palace, some people in Mountain City believe that place was a bunch of bull. But Mike wasn't a person to fall for fact, he went off looking for the place and hasn't come back." He looked at all of them and carefully studied the look on their face, he was pretty certain they believed him.

Meanwhile Danyelle was enjoying her bath, she suddenly nodded off and had maybe one of the most frightening dreams she had ever had. She saw a giant building overlooking Mountain City, it was caked in ice, except for one structure that was fixed on top of it. She was then pulled instantly inside to what seemed to her like a throne room, she saw someone that was dressed in a robe and crown. The person had his or her back turned to her, but she did have some sense that something was watching over her.

"Um hello?" she spoke her voice a little shaky due to that her surroundings were creeping her out, "I don't know if you can help me but I seem to be stuck here and I was wondering if you knew of a way—" as soon as she was but a few feet away from the person he whirled around and what Danyelle saw next was truly horrifying. The person really wasn't a person but a skeleton, all she could see was the skull but she was sure it was a skeleton, it made a hissing sound at her, and that my friends was enough to send him running the other way. Just as she reached the door she collided with something, it fell over…but quickly picked itself up off the floor. It was Mike, all the sudden he grabbed hold of her and said, "Danyelle…I need your help!"

Danyelle all the sudden pulled herself out of the tub, near horrified…It took herself three minutes to realize it was a dream, but to her it had felt so real. She quickly got dressed and left the bathroom, she quickly told Erich of what she saw in her dream and said that Mike could be in trouble. Erich chuckled and said, "Nonsense, utter nonsense…Danyelle, you just had a nightmare, that was all. No need to worry yourself about the meaning of it."

Danyelle then saw that Ash and the others had left, "They left ten minutes ago, they're staying at the Pokémon Center. I'd suggest going home and getting some work done Danyelle." Erich said.

As Danyelle left the house, she had that feeling she was being watched again.


	3. The Journey Begins

CHAPTER 2: THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Danyelle couldn't really get any sleep that night either, kept having nightmares to real for comfort…seeing my grabbed away, taken away by a giant shadow with a crystal crown and sickly green eyes. Funny thing was that the shadow kept coming from the same place, the mountains Mike had set out to explore.

The next morning Danyelle went to see Mary, hopefully she (Mary) wouldn't think she (Danyelle) was going crazy. She rang the doorbell, Mary opened the door and partially surprised said, "Danyelle…what are you doing here? I didn't really expect anyone over this early in the day." Danyelle told Mary about the nightmares, Mary replied, "Actually I don't think you're crazy…you see, I've been having the same nightmares…no visions, just the nightmares. Brandon is starting to have them as well, he admitted that last week he thought he saw Mike's Unown."

"Do you think Mike's trying to reach out to us, trying to get help…seeking it, if that be the right word?" Danyelle asked, Mary shrugged and replied, "The only way we're going to put it all together is to find the mythical, to find the Crystal Palace ourselves." Just then Danyelle felt a burning sensation on her left forearm, when it subsided she rolled up her sleeve she saw a triangle with an Ω in the center of it.

"You have it too, I'm not surprised…same symbol appeared on my forearm last night." Mary said, revealing the same symbol on her left forearm as well.

"Well if this isn't proof that something wants us to find the Crystal Palace, I don't know what is…Get your supplies ready, I'll go home and get mine set up…we'll leave notes and be on the path before lunch." Danyelle said.

By 10 in the morning, Mary met up with Danyelle. "Are you sure this is a good idea Danyelle, I've got a lot of reasons and facts telling me not to do this." Mary complained.

"Do you want to see Mike again Mary, he's up there, he's found it…I just know it." Danyelle said in a reassuring voice.

"And where do you two think you're going?" a voice behind them said, they turned around and saw Brandon. "You two think I'm going to let you slip off without me, I think not."

"We're the only ones that can do this Brandon," Danyelle argued, "Mike gave us his mark, we're the only two he wants to help him." Danyelle and Mary showed Brandon the symbol on their forearms, Brandon then showed them the same symbol on his forearm. "You mean three." Brandon sternly finished.

By Lunchtime they were in clear view of the cliff face, Brandon noticed that it did look like a finger pointing to something. The group sat down and enjoyed some sandwiches and dried fruit, after that they got back to reaching the path.

Brandon looked behind him and said, "Wait guys…I hear something, sounds like someone is coming up the path behind us?" Brandon and the others didn't have to wait long, it was Ash and the crew.

"What are you guys doing up here?" Danyelle asked.

"Don't look at us, May made us come up here…she says there's something about this place that seems familiar to her." Max replied.

Mary, Danyelle and Brandon looked at each other and asked, "Does it have anything to do with this?" They revealed their forearms. May revealed she had the same mark on her forearm to.

"Well I suppose you bunch can come along, stay close to us…when you've lived here and have been hiking these mountains as long as we have…you learn a few survival tricks." Danyelle said, and they were off…not knowing what they were going to find, or what they were going to meet.


	4. Ambrose's Warning

CHAPTER 3: AMBROSE'S WARNING

Brandon and company were now at the foot of the path, Ash looked at them, "Well are we going to go up or not?" he asked. Brandon looked at them and said, "Give us some time, we're still trying to assimilate the shock of this all…I mean we did give Mike a hard time about this, but to find out now that he might've been telling the truth about this place is just a tad too much."

Danyelle then went into a swooning fit, Mary caught her and asked, "Danyelle, are you alright?" Danyelle's eyes rolled back into her head, we they came back she said, "He said for us to hurry…he doesn't know how much time he has left, he said: '_it is trying to get me_…_please hurry_.', I don't know what that means…but we may have to hurry."

As they started up the path Mary walked up to Brandon and said, "You know, if the legend of the Crystal Palace is true…then the legend of _him_ might be true as well." Brandon looked back at Mary and said, "Don't think I haven't considered that…the legends of Mountain City still rest in my childhood memories, pounded in there by the elders and cattle branded in by Mike…funny thing was that Mike seemed to be the only one that took this all to heart."

May caught up to them, "I'm sorry if I interrupting anything…but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, so I have one question…who's _him_?"

"I'm guessing since you're not from around here that you haven't heard the legend of the Crystal King, they say he had it all…but when the palace was forgotten he stayed behind until his remaining days were utterly spent, they say his presence still haunts the palace to this day…but that's only if the legend proves true." Mary explained.

"That's sad…to die up there all alone." May said in a sadden tone.

"He wasn't alone, legend said he had a family consisting of himself and three daughters…his wife had died 3 years later after giving birth to the third one, they all left him save for the youngest…who stayed with him until it's said she was kidnapped by one of her cousins, if you're asking me…he died of a broken heart."

"A broken heart yes, lassie…but now vat heart has been filled with hate…and if you're smart, you'll stay away from vat thare place." A voice said to them, they all turned around to see an old man in a tattered cloak.

"Who are you?" Brandon asked, keeping a firm grasp on one of his Poké-balls. The old man bowed slightly and said, "My name be Ambrose…and unless you listen to me warnin' and turn back now, ye'll be in fer a horrific journey of character."

"But our friend is up there Mr. Ambrose…we just can't leave him." Danyelle argued. Ambrose gave a depressed look and said, "Ah yes, Mike…tried to warn him I did, but the lads' fascination wit' the place was too great…and now he's wit' _him_."

"Well we're going up there…and there's nothing you can do to stop us." Brandon argued.

Ambrose nodded with a bit of approval and said, "Okay sirs and madam's…but do remember this clue when ye get thare: '_Trust in your heart and not your eyes…for the walls lie_'."

"Okay then," Brandon said. He then looked at the group, "Okay guys and gals…let's keep on moving, we have much more ground to cover."

As the group moved onward Danyelle caught up with Mary and said, "There's something strange about that Ambrose fellow, I could sense it…I think Ash's Pikachu could sense it a bit too, but what it is I don't know."

"Relax Danyelle…take your mind off it, just stick to the task ahead." Mary responded.

"_Vat Girl Danyelle has a gift…one vat could aid her in the challenges she and her friends have laid ahead of themselves…but against an ancient evil as strong as the one they'll face, my only prayer is that it'll be enough_." Ambrose thought to himself, and then suddenly he vanished into the wind…as if he hadn't actually been there.


End file.
